Nut-lock



' (No Model.)

P. T. JOHNSTON. NUT LUCK.

No. 2527,3901 I Patented Oct. 9, 1894.

UNITE TATES ATENT Orrrcn.

PRESTON T. JOHNSTON, OF FRANKFORT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO W. A. ORMAN, OF RUSSELLVILLE, ALABAMA.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,390, dated October 9, 1894.

Application filed February 23, 1894. Serial No. 501,178. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PRESTON T. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Frankfort, in the county of Franklin and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Nut-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of nut locks in which a key is employed and arranged to engage the bolt and nut and by that means lock the latter; and my primary object is to construct a nut lock of this class, and one which will not have the threads of the nut broken or interfered with to any very great extent by the seat of the key. Other objects are contemplated, such as cheapness and simplicity and all will be seen upon an understanding of my invention.

To these ends my invention consists of certain peculiar features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and finally embodied in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a nut and bolt supplied with my improvements; Fig. 2, a cross section on line acm of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a similar view on line y-y of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a perspective View of the bolt for use in connection with my invention; Fig. 5, asimilar view of the key; Fig. 6, a perspective view of a nut and bolt supplied with my lock.

The reference letter 0; indicates the bolt to which my improvements are shown as applied, and b the nut. Formed onthe end of the bolt a and extending longitudinally therewith, is the groove c, which is in practice about one eighth of an inch in depth and adapted for the reception of the head of the key. The nutb has formed thereon a series, preferably four, of key seats (1, adapted for the reception of the key e. Only one of these seats dis essential, though I prefer to employ a greater number, so that one will al Ways be in position to match with the groove 0. These key seats are formed with a vertical notch f, which extends from the interior bore of the nut to a point near the outer side, and communicates at its upper end with the longitudinal passage g. This extends entirely through the nut and terminates in the recess 71., which communicates with the outer periphery of the nut. The key a is formed of an integral piece of spring metal, and with the head portion t, which portion is adapted to lie partly in the slot or notch f, and in the groove 0 of the bolt, and by this means the turning of the nut is prevented. Formed on the upper edge of the head '5 is the shank It, which extends horizontally from the head and is adapted to lie in the passage g of the key seat. The end of the shank 7c is formed with a slight bevel Z, and with the upwardly extending stud m thereon. By means of the bevel Z,.the key may be inserted into the seat with great ease.

The function of the stud m is to snap, owing to the spring properties of the key, into the recess h,and when this has been done,

the accidental removal of the key will be rendered impossible. To use the lock the nut is placed on the bolt and screwed up to the desired point, care being taken to see that one of the notches f of the key-seats and the groove 0 of the bolt register. When this has been done, the key c is inserted into the seat, which matches with the groove 0, and driven up until the stud m snaps into the recess h. This will hold the key in place and render its accidental removal impossible. The only way to remove the key is to press down the small end of the key, by the help of a nail or punch, and withdraw the key by grasping its head with a pair of pinchers. \Vhen this has been done, the nut may be removed, and, it by accident the key is destroyed, the nut and bolt may be again used.

By means of my improvements the nut is securely locked in place and without having to interfere with the unity of the threads on the nut, which is well known to be a great disadvantage.

Having described my invention, I claim- A locking device for bolt-nuts, consisting of a longitudinal groove formed in the bolt, a passage in the nut, and having at its ends an enlarged notch, and a key adapted to fit into the passage and having two studs fitting one into each of the notches in the passage in the nut, one stud being adapted to prevent the removal of the key and the other to prevent its axial movement and in addition to In testimony that I olaim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PRESTON T. JOHNSTON. 5 fit partially in the groove of the bolt, whereby Witnesses:

the nut is locked on the bolt, substantially R. J. MOODY, as described.

JAMES W. BUTTON. 

